I was wrong.

Prior to the UK election I took the view that Starmer and Sunak were little different. The Blair settlement of the last 30 years would continue, and the UK would bob along in its sleep inducing political mediocrity. Then Labour came into power.

Since 4 July a different Labour has emerged, one that is more socialist, aggressive to groups it doesn’t like such as farmers, or the old and who it targets for taxes. A Labour which is much more like the 70s party of old with tax, borrow and spend. Add in the top down use of legislation to make the citizenry conform and keep the lawyers happy and there is a much more ideological party in power. And in power they are –  a massive majority means they can do what they want for the next 4 years, the only constraints ironically being the legislation they supported over the last 30 years.

On the other side there is suddenly a bit of clear blue water. The Conservatives having had the drubbing of the century have elected a leader who is more to the right. Early days of course but if Badenoch sticks with what she says the Conservatives will ditch Centre politics and revert to the small state, nation first values which they have avoided for the last 14 years. They still have much thinking to do to establish viable policies but with the Trump victory in the USA there will be a shot in the arm for policies which put money in people’s pockets and take “woke” sacred cows off to the abattoir.

And in all of this let’s not forget the electorate. They’re not the same as in 2000. The loyalty the Reds and Blues used to be able to count on has deteriorated sharply. We see this in the decline of the vote the big two used to count on and in the splintering of politics into different but sizeable parties not Just the LDs as the home of protest votes  but now Greens, Reform and in Scotland SNP. A more sceptical electorate is looking for solutions to stagnant incomes and incoherent government.

In all of this the previous centrist consensus is now being stretched. Labour has gone off to the left and the conservatives to the right.  The days when politics was social media posts or personalities are looking strained. Yes, social media will still be there but now principle and policy are driving the agenda slowly but surely politics is back.

Alanbrooke